Dogwood (Cornus florida) named `Am-erika Touch-O-Pink`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of dogwood, Cornus florida, is provided which forms extremely large and distinctive blooms wherein the petals are pink on the outside fading to almost white in the center. The plant produces larger than normal leaves and exhibits superior growth rate and a hardy resistance to disease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new and improved variety of Dogwood, Cornus florida, named `Am-erikaTouch-O-Pink` was discovered through examination of over two millionwhite Dogwood seedlings. The seed from which these seedlings werepropagated was collected from native Dogwood trees in the costal plainssection of Georgia. The improved Dogwood has several outstandingcharacteristics including, larger than normal leaves, extremely largeand distinctive blooms, a superior growth rate and a hardy resistance todisease. The bracts are blushed pink at the margins; the pink colorsuffusing gradually to white, which predominates the bract lamina.

The new and improved dogwood variety `Am-erika Touch-O-Pink` was firstreproduced asexually in February, 1989 in Tatnall County, Ga. bygrafting scions from the original parent plant. Other routes of asexualpropagation are possible and include budding and cuttage. The improvedcharacteristics of this Dogwood have been found to be stable and arestrictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generationto another.

The new improved Dogwood variety meets the needs of the horticulturalindustry and is particularly well suited for use as attractiveornamentation in the landscape.

The new dogwood variety `Am-erika Touch-O-Pink` presents a uniquecultivar of dogwood, producing the large blooms previously onlyassociated with pure white bracts, which also show the pink color foundin other varieties. The enormous and unusually colored bracts are largerthan any previously reported, and they are more than twice the size ofthe bracts typical of the pink-colored varieties. In full bloom, thistree presents a conspicuous splash of color which is unparalleled byexisting trees and offers flowering stems of novel coloration which canbe included in cut floral arrangements.

`Am-erika Touch-O-Pink` has extended the effective range of pink-coloreddogwood varieties to the coastal plains of Georgia. Existingpink-colored cultivars do not bloom consistently in the coastal plainsregion, perhaps only blooming 1 out of every 4-5 years. The variety`Am-erika Touch-O-Pink` has been observed in Tatnall County, Ga. for thepast six years, and it has bloomed profusely each of those years.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawing and photograph show typical specimens of theinflorescence and an entire, fully leafed-out tree, respectively. Thedrawing was adapted from 3 and 4 year old specimens of this variety asthe bracts appear during March and April when grown outdoors inReidsville, Ga.

FIG. 1 shows a rendering of a specimen from `Am-erika Touch-O-Pink` toillustrate a fully open inflorescence on bloom stage wood to show theshape, texture, and coloration of inner and outer bract pairs and thedetails and color of the reproductive organs. Also shown is early leafformation from breaking vegetative buds.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a typical specimen of an entire `Am-erikaTouch-O-Pink` tree six years after its propagation from a scion of theoriginal, parent plant, illustrating its summer foliage in Reidsville,Ga.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description is based on the observation of two and three year oldplants while in bloom and later in the growing season when leaves havereached full maturity.

Class: Cornus florida.

Plant:

Height.--Approximately 18-20 feet at full maturity; growing atapproximately 3 feet per year reaching 12-15 feet in four years.

Habit.--Erect.

Shape.--Well-rounded, very conical shaped from the ground up. Verylittle pruning necessary. A typical specimen is slightly taller than itis wide; a 10 year old specimen that is approximately 22.5 feet tall isapproximately 15 feet in diameter, measured at the bottom branches.

Bark.--In spring, the new growth bark is a light-tan to grey-tan color.As it matures through the season, the bark hardens and becomescompletely grey. Exfoliating bark has not been noted on trees through 6years of age.

Branches:

Trunk.--Diameter of 31/2 to 4 inches within 4 years.

Vegetative branches.--Sub-branches more frequently seem to be stouterand spread more than the native dogwood. The branching angle isapproximately 30 degrees from the horizontal, and the length of thebranches shortens closer to the crown, creating the typical conicalshape of the species in the cultivated landscape.

Floral branches.--The terminal branches produce 3-4 growth stems duringthe growing season, and each of these growth stems will produce 2-4blooms per stem the following spring.

Leaves:

Size.--In a typical 4 year old specimen, larger than normal leaves whichare approximately 3-4 inches wide by 4-5 inches long and deep greenwhich turn a dark red in the fall and early winter. In a typical 6 yearold specimen, the leaves are 4 inches wide and up to 7.5 inches long.While the leaf size is unique, the leaf coloring of `Am-erikaTouch-O-Pink` does not differ significantly from other dogwoodvarieties. Color in leaves lasts much longer than native dogwood.

Bloom:

Number of flowers.--Generally 2 to 4 per stem.

Buds.--2 to 4 blooms per branch on long stems, usually large.

Size.--Approximately 4-6 inches in diameter on the average.

Color.--Pink on the outer margins of the inner and outer pairs of bractsfading to almost white toward the center of the bracts. The outside edgeof the bracts are a medium pink, towards the center it turns to a palerpink to almost white and the inflorescence is extremely large -- from 4to 6 inches across. They bloom consistently every year, whereas allother pinks and reds I have observed over the years do not have thischaracteristic. This is especially true in the lower Piedmont andCoastal Plains.

Development:

Vegetation.--Hardy.

Blooming.--Abundant, with first bloom in March in Tatnall County, Ga.with full bloom occurring in April, as observed in Tatnall County, Ga.

Fruit.--Borne in clusters of 8-18 berries. Each berry is oblong-shaped,approximately 0.75 inches long and 0.25 inches wide. The immature fruitare borne in the summer and are dark green in color, maturing to abright red color in October.

Resistant to frost: Very Good.

Resistance to disease: Excellent resistance to anthracnose and insectborers.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Dogwood tree,Cornus florida, named `Am-erika Touch-O-Pink`, characterized by thefollowing combination of characteristics:(a) forms extremely large anddistinctive blooms wherein the petals are pink along the outer edgefading to almost white in the center; (b) larger than normal leaves; and(c) superior growth rate and a hardy resistance to disease;substantially as herein shown and described.